Electric switch



1953 w. A. STREUER ET AL 2,649,512

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed June 3, 1952 iaag glglaa Patented Aug. 18,1953

UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH Wilhelm A. Streuer, Mount Prospect, and Edward J. Mastney, Berwyn, Ill., assignors to Oak Mfg. 00., a corporation of Illinois Application June 3, 1952, Serial No. 291,398

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an electric switch, and more particularly to a panel mounted rotary switch with lever actuation. Rotary switches having a number of index positions are frequently desirable for panel mounting with lever or handle actuation rather than a knob. In such case, the rotary switch is so. mounted that the axis of rotation of the rotor portion of the switch is parallel to the panel. An index mechanism for such switch is necessary in order to set the switch to any one of a number of predetermined definite positions. This invention provides a construction which is simple and efiective and has an index mechanism which operates with minimum friction and wear.

In order that the invention may be understood, reference will now be made to the drawing wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it being understood, however, that some variations are permissible.

Referring, therefore, to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section on broken line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 but showing the other side of the new switch;

Figure 4 is a view along line 44 of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective details of portions of the switch.

The new switch comprises base [0 of sheet metal, such as steel, for example. Base 10 has panel mounting portion II with index side portion I2 and rotor support portion l3. Panel portion II has elongated slot l6 lengthwise thereof and mounting apertures l1 and I8 at the two ends thereof.

Index side portion [2 has supporting arms 20 and 2! and slotted index portion 22. Index portion 22 consists of a number of teeth 23 disposed on an arc and spaced from each other by slots, the index portion as a whole subtending an angle with reference to the center of rotation of the switch.

Riveted to support arms 20 and 2|, at suitable apertures, is stator 26 of a rotary switch. The switch illustrated here is described in detail in Patents 2,186,949 and 950. Other rotary switches may be used. Stator 26 is of insulating material and has a series of stator contacts 21 mounted along the arc of a circle. Contacts 21 are carried by suitable eyelets 28 or if desired may be staked in position. Each stator contact 21 extends inwardly of the stator and has oppositely disposed jaws 30 as shown. The interior portion of the stator 26 is cut-out to form a circular region within which there is rotatively disposed rotor 32.

Rotor 32 consists of one or more insulating discs snugly disposed within the stator cut-out. Rotor 32 has a series of apertures 33 disposed along the arc of a circle Whose center is coincident with the center of the rotor. Rotor contacts 34 are attached to the rotor at these holes by the rivets. These rotor contacts are fiat strips of metal whose plane is parallel to the plane of rotation of the rotor, the contacts being adapted to lie on the outer surfaces of the rotor disc and extend beyond the disc edges and overlie parts of the stator. By controlling the angular extend of the rotor contacts, their position, the radial dimensions thereof and the reach of the stator contacts, as well as the number and position of the stator contacts, a wide variety of switch combinations are possible. Inasmuch as the patents identified above fully describe the rotary type of switch used here, a further detailed description is not believed to be necessary.

It is evident that the center of the rotor disc is the center of rotation of the entire switch. While the rotor disc in the particular switch section disclosed here is self-supporting, this is not essential to the invention. Pin 36 is provided, this pin passing through a centrally disposed aperture in the rotor disc. Pin 36 has reduced portion 31 passing through aperture 38 in rotorsupporting part 13 of the frame.

Disposed around reduced portion 31 of frame 36 and against the inside face of rotor-supporting portion l 3 of the frame is spring steel member 40. Spring steel member 40 has ear 4| engaging notch 42 in rotor support frame part l3. This functions to lock the spring steel member against rotation. Spring steel member 40 has fan-shaped portion 43 with slotted cut-out 44 for flexibility. Fan-shaped portion 43 underlies index part 22 and has substantially the same angular extent as the index part.

Pin 36 has enlarged portion 46 against which spring portion 40 may rest. Disposed over enlarged pin part 46 is actuating lever part generally indicated by numeral 48. Lever part 48 has mounting portion 49 having an aperture through which enlarged pin portion 46 passes. Pin 36 has shoulder 50 for supporting the actuating portion against sideways movement away from spring part 40. It will be noted that pin 36 has end 5| turned over to lock the assembly in position.

Actuating lever portion 48 has wings 52 and 53 and has handle portion 54 extending out- Wardly from the body Of the lever portion. Wings 52 and 53 extend symmetrically from opposite sides of the handle portion. Disposed in the body of actuating portion 48 and near the lever or handle part 54 is retainer part '56 into which ball 56 rests. Ball 58 is small enough so that it may play within retainer part 56. Retainer part 5'5 is thin enough or shallow enough, as

seen from the side in Figure 2, so that ball 58 will project from both sides of the lever. One part of the ball bears against index spring portion 43. The other part of ball 58 presses against index portion 22. Teeth 23 and the Spaces between the teeth are so designed that ball 58 will be retained in position. Thus the spring and ball assembly cooperate with the toothed index por-- tion to provide an index action.

In order to transmit rotary motion from actuating part 48 to the rotor of the switch, finger 60 on the actuating part is provided. This finger extends from rotor-supporting portion 49 at one side thereof and has the end portion bent at right angles to the plane of the body of the lever. Finger 6!) is long enough to engage slot 6| in rotor-actuating plate 62 riveted to the switch rotor disc. It is obvious that by controlling the angular position of switch actuating plate 62 with respect to the switch rotor that the desired number of switch positions may be selected and determined. Thus a flexible construction is provided which makes it possible to tailor a rotary switch to any desired switch action over the index positions provided.

By having the index ball free in the lever, there will be no sideways thrust of the lever body against the frame of the switch, thus increasing friction.

It is understood, of course, that handle portion 54 of the lever extends through slot IS in the panel portion of the frame and that a suitable knob or finger-piece of molded material may be disposed over the end of the lever for ready handling. The entire mechanism may be mounted by bolts passing through apertures l1 and I8. Thus a simple and free-acting index switch, having a number of index positions, is provided.

If desired, a number of switch sections may be provided instead of one as shown. In such case, finger may engage all the switch sections or the pin may be non-circular where it passes through the rotor discs. Hence when finger 60 drive one disc, others will follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary switch comprising a generally U-shaped base plate member, the bottom of the U being flat for panel mounting, one U arm having two spaced parts and the other U arm having an apertured end, a rotary switch having a stator and rotor, means for supporting the stator on the two spaced parts of said one U arm, a pin carried by said apertured end of the other U arm and normal thereto, said pin passing through said rotor, an actuating lever carried by said pin and having a handle portion extending through a slot in the flat panel mounting portion, a ball retainer carried by said lever, a ball in said retainer freely movable normal to the lever body plane, a spring arm carried by said pin and extending between the other U arm and lever body, said arm cooperating with said ball in all lever positions to press said ball toward the one U arm, index teeth formed in said one U arm so that said ball provides and index action, and means to couple said lever and rotor.

2. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the means to couple said rotor and lever comprises a slotted rotor plate secured to said rotor and a finger carried by said lever for engaging the slot in the rotor plate.

3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein said spring arm has a finger engaging a slot in the other U arm to lock the spring arm against rotation.

WILHELM. A. STREUER. EDWARD J. MASTNEY.

No references cited. 

